NEED TO KNOW:

• Acquired: 2022 CFL Draft (1st round / 8th overall)
• CFL experience (Elks): 3 (3)
• College: Waterloo (2017-21)
• Highlights:
  • Set a new career high in passing yards with 325 in Week 21 in the Elks 31-30 victory over the Toronto Argonauts. Led the Edmonton offence to a season best 581 yards of net offence, passing for a career high three touchdowns.
  • Named the Elks Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Canadian in 2023.
  • Ford was recognized as Player of the Month on the CFL Honour Roll All-August Team (2023) powered by Pro Football Focus (PFF).
  • Received the 2022 Niagara Falls Sportsperson of the Year award following his rookie season in the CFL.
  • Appeared in 10 games (three starts) in his rookie season. Won his first start, against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on July 1, 2022, when he became the first Canadian quarterback to start a game for the Green and Gold since 1968.
  • Selected 8^th overall in the 2022 CFL Draft, becoming the highest quarterback taken in the first round since 1980, when Sheldon Paris went 7th overall to the Calgary Stampeders.
  • In 2021, became the first black quarterback to win the Hec Creighton Award, recognizing the most outstanding player in U Sports football; while also winning the OUA Most Outstanding Player Award, and being named an All-Canadian and First-Team OUA All-Star.

YEAR-BY-YEAR:

• 2024: (Edmonton) Appeared in 16 games (four starts), finishing the season with a 3-1 record. Completed a career high 71.8 per cent of his passes for 1,137 yards, 10 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Ford added another 206 yards on the ground, averaging 9.0 yards-per carry on 23 rushes.
• 2022-23: (Edmonton) In his second season with the Elks, Ford went 4-6 as a starter after taking over the starter’s role in Week 10. The Waterloo product completed 153-227 passes (67.4%) for 2,069 yards and 12 touchdowns, while rushing for 622 yards on 66 attempts (9.4 avg.) and three touchdowns. In 2022, he appeared in 10 games for the Elks, going 40-for-69 for 461 yards, two touchdowns and five interceptions. He also rushed 19 times for 149 yards.